Bullying is a common and hazardous experience that often occurs during childhood and adolescence. While children and teens are encouraged to treat each other respectfully, many kids in grade school are singled out and bullied. Victims of bullying feel alone, helpless, and vulnerable, and may not feel safe asking for help. When not properly addressed […]
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Children often struggle with mental health challenges like anxiety and depression, but these struggles can be confused with behavioral issues. Kids are learning how to express themselves and how to regulate their emotions during their childhood years, so it is important to consider their emotional needs when navigating behavioral challenges. Gratitude exercises can be a […]
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Children can benefit from learning and practicing mindfulness skills. Mindfulness can help kids cope with uncomfortable feelings and calm their minds. It can also help with improving concentration. Mindfulness can be used as an aid in improving behavior at school and home, as well as reducing reactivity caused by stress. Mindfulness activities help children prepare […]
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Grief is one of the most difficult things in life that we have to go through. It is confusing, upsetting, painful, and sometimes traumatic. A child is especially affected by grief and loss for different reasons. They often do not understand what it means to lose someone, and the permanency of a loss is a […]
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Children find it hard to cope with things they do not understand. There are many people, places, and things in the world that scare children, and when children are afraid they feel lost, alone, and vulnerable. A fearful child will have a hard time developing the confidence they need to face their fears, but helping […]
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Working with children is as challenging as it is rewarding. Children see and understand their world very differently than adults. As they grow, they learn more about their lives and how they are influenced by their experiences and feelings. While children grow, their emotions become more complex and difficult to understand. This can often make […]
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It can be difficult for clients who suffer from emotional issues like depression and anxiety to keep from falling into bad habits, like isolating and cutting off things that bring them joy. With such mental health challenges, it can be difficult for a client to enjoy the moment without having to deal with uncomfortable symptoms. […]
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When working with clients who fixate on the negative it is difficult to break away from the cycles of negativity and shift focus onto good and hopeful thoughts and feelings. Therapists will often work with a client who does not acknowledge anything besides the negative in their life, which not only is detrimental to their […]
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Sometimes when people suffer from low self-esteem, low confidence, or mood disorders like anxiety and depression, it is easy to focus on the negative and forget about the things that they appreciate in their lives. When clients focus only on the challenging or painful parts of their life, it is hard to imagine a life […]
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Utilizing gratitude skills with clients in therapy is a great way to help them learn how to cope with stress and frustration. With all the responsibilities we have each day, it is easy to get wrapped up in the stress of the moment and miss out on the things we appreciate in this world. When […]
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In therapy, a client learns a lot about their emotions and gain perspective on their life challenges. Through self-exploration, they learn different ways to cope with the challenges they face. Therapy teaches coping skills that help clients relieve their symptoms in real-life situations. They learn valuable life skills in sessions, but sometimes it can be […]
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Family bonding time is an important part of any family dynamic. A family’s sense of unity and connectedness grows when they can enjoy time together and make fond memories. Setting time aside to enjoy the company of your family also helps family members feel wanted and appreciated, which helps boost self-esteem and trust in your […]
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Teaching a child to learn how to express what they are feeling can help them learn assertiveness skills and skills to express how they feel in times of need. Assertiveness and self-expression skills are important for a person at any age, and the younger a child learns how to communicate what they are feeling the […]
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When it comes to addressing a child’s behavior, consistency is key. Consistent and expected rewards and consequences can be a great motivator for behavioral modification. When it comes to encouraging good behavior and discouraging bad behavior, understanding consequences helps a child understand how to behave. Planning rewards and consequences do not need to be complicated. […]
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Children in therapy can often struggle with expressing how they feel. For a number of reasons, a child can struggle with expressing their feelings and needs, even with their parents and friends. When a child is struggling to talk about how they feel, it can be helpful to think about other means of expression. A […]
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It is important to encourage children to understand and embrace their emotions at an early age. Children who develop emotional intelligence can learn how to cope with uncomfortable feelings at an early age. That way, they develop a level of identity and self-awareness that will help them develop a healthy relationship with themselves and with […]
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Children often struggle to explain how they are feeling. During childhood, they are actively developing their understanding of their own emotions. Feelings can be confusing for a child, and in that confusion they can struggle to express themselves. Children often do not realize their physical symptoms of feelings like anxiety, anger, fear and sadness are […]
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Children often do not understand how to handle their anger in a healthy way. They may act out, shut down, or lash out at others. Anger can be a complicated emotion for children, so ensuring that they understand how to cope with the feeling is important. Children often need guidance for how to communicate their […]
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Children often struggle to talk about how they feel. They struggle to work through their own emotions to feel okay. When a changing family affects a child, they may act out or shut down. It is important to be mindful of these changes, and to help the child work through their feelings, rather than punishing […]
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A huge part of encouraging a child to continue to engage in good behavior is to provide positive reinforcement. Reinforcement is a powerful tool because it helps a child learn what behaviors will get a positive reaction from the people around them. It helps them to understand consequences and how to behave in a way […]
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Just like adults, children can have a hard time controlling their anger. They often do not understand how their anger affects them, and how it affects others. Children can struggle to learn how to process and express negative feelings like anger, so it is important to teach emotional intelligence skills to keep them grounded when […]
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Mindfulness is an important exercise to practice regularly. Clients must learn how to be mindful of themselves, their needs and their emotional wellness in order to ensure good mental health. Families often need mindfulness exercises to ensure their mental health and relationships as well. Family mindfulness is a great way to bring families closer together. […]
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Grieving can be very overwhelming and confusing for a child. Loss and death can be complicated concepts, and it can be hard for a child to understand what death and loss mean, and how the permanence of a loved one’s passing will affect them. It is not uncommon for a child to feel many different […]
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Using methods from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a great way to help children understand and take accountability for their feelings and actions. CBT helps kids understand their thoughts, feelings and behaviors, which can be instrumental in building self-esteem. It also helps with modifying problematic behaviors. Helping a child understand their thoughts, feelings and actions […]
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It is not uncommon for a person to get stuck on the past, present or future. Each frame of time is important to consider when planning goals or the best way to move forward with life. When a person focus too much on the past they can get stuck because they don’t know how to […]
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When dealing with a client who is struggling with self-confidence and low self-esteem, it is important to ensure that they are aware of their protective factors. Knowing your own protective factors is important. Protective factors serve as a source of strength, hope and comfort when dealing with a challenge. Sometimes a client is not aware […]
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An important part of teaching a child responsibility, accountability and maturity is to provide structure and routine in the daily schedule. With the help of chores and responsibilities around the house, the child is able to learn how to interact with the world, how to take initiative to be self-sufficient, and how to internalize the […]
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Anger is an emotion that can overwhelm anyone, especially when proper coping skills are not being used. Clients in therapy benefit from learning healthy and effective coping skills for anger. Coping skills help with regulating emotions and reducing reactivity and destructive behaviors. Teaching proper anger management skills helps a client in therapy learn how to […]
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Exercises that reinforce good behavior are helpful when teaching healthy habits to children in therapy. Using techniques that encourage wanted behavior helps teach children how to behave in school, at home, and in counseling. Incorporating a reward system into a child’s routine helps with encouraging wanted behavior. Reward systems engage kids in learning healthy behaviors […]
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When a child is suffering from the effects of anxiety, trauma, abuse, or behavioral problems, they feel helpless and vulnerable. These feelings can be overwhelming and impact their confidence when facing life challenges. To ensure a child develops the skills needed to build mental and emotional resilience, they must know their strengths. Knowing what makes […]
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Everyone has a story. In therapy, processing key events in a client’s life can help them heal. Processing key memories and events can help clients build an understanding of their challenges with mental health. Exploring life events that contribute to challenges can help with recovery from trauma, anger, anxiety, depressed mood, and more. A helpful […]
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At some point in a client’s journey, he or she will need to take a step back to evaluate how he or she is managing self-care. It is important for a client to be well-aware of what he or she needs to be able to maintain self-care, and to understand a hierarchy in which the […]
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It is not uncommon for a child to struggle with verbalizing his or her fears. It can be a challenge for a child to face his or her fears, but setting up a child in a safe setting to express and explore the fears that he or she struggles with can facilitate growth and development […]
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It is important to have a list of goals and objectives for the client and therapist to work toward when beginning a new therapeutic relationship. Setting goals creates a foundation that helps the client and therapist stay on track when helping a client feel better. Setting goals also empowers a client to stay on track […]
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When working with kids, especially those who have behavioral problems, it can be a challenge to teach empathy and healthy socialization skills. Being able to express gratitude and appreciation for others helps a child relate to their peers and teaches them how to identify positive qualities within themselves. When a child can express appreciation, they […]
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Promoting self-love is an important part of therapy, but sometimes can be a challenge for clients. It is a lesson that is dynamic, and should be treated as such. For a client to learn to love himself or herself, he or she must also learn how to love and appreciate those around him or her. […]
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Healthy self-reflection skills help clients in therapy learn how to be more aware of their behavior. When working with clients on methods to improve their reactions to challenges, knowing how to slow down reactions, think situations through, and be more aware of their feelings and triggers can help a client understand how to improve their […]
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Teaching emotional intelligence skills is important when working with young children. Often children have feelings they may not understand, which makes it difficult for them to express how they are feeling and if they are upset. This struggle can cause confusion and frustration for caretakers. It also affects the child’s ability to build healthy communication […]
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Many clients in therapy struggle with low self-esteem. They often do not have a strong sense of identity or are unhappy with who they are. Facing yourself in therapy can be scary, so a therapist needs to be equipped with helpful tools to help their clients boost their self-image and self-esteem. A poor self-image can […]
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Many life experiences can contribute to feeling unsafe. It is common for clients in therapy to struggle with feeling safe, which can contribute to anxiety, panic attacks, and feelings of helplessness. A history of trauma, personal insecurities, low self-esteem, and more can all increase the risk of anxiety, panic attacks, and mood swings associated with […]
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Awareness of different emotions is an important part of child development. Learning about basic emotions at a young age can help a child learn how to regulate their feelings and empathize with others. It can also help with learning healthy ways to communicate. We learn about emotions slowly- what they mean and how to manage […]
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When working with children and parents in therapy, a therapist is often responsible for providing education about the best methods of using rewards and punishments to influence behavior in children. Child and family therapists are commonly tasked with explaining best practices for teaching consequences for both wanted and unwanted behaviors. One approach that my be […]
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We all know that sometimes life can get overwhelming. Stress at work, home, or from unexpected circumstances causes us to feel overwhelmed when not properly managed. It is important to know how to manage the feelings of anxiety, fatigue, and depressed mood that can come with prolonged and unmanaged stress. Because life can be so […]
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Teaching a client in therapy how to maintain healthy habits for mental health is an important part of the therapeutic process. Clients learn a great deal while in therapy, and making sure that they learn skills to cope with life challenges helps ensure the client’s success. It is also important to guide the client in […]
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Negative thoughts can be powerful and have a big impact on a client’s mental health, especially when they are dealing with issues like anxiety, grief, and depression. Without proper tools for managing negative thoughts, a client’s process for healing may be challenging. When a client is struggling with negative thoughts, they are seeing the world […]
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It can be easy to get wrapped up in the moment of a stressful situation and instantly feel overwhelmed. Without direction or hopes of finding a resolution, that overwhelmed feeling can turn into helplessness or hopelessness, and make you lose touch with your authority over how the situation affects you. Each person reacts to stress […]
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It can sometimes be tough for clients to know what words to use to express what they are feeling. Emotions are complex and can be uncomfortable and overwhelming to talk about without proper guidance and support. When a client struggles to articulate their feelings, it can be helpful to provide a tool to help them […]
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Sometimes clients struggle with learning how to feel happy and fulfilled in their lives. Whether it is due to depression, low self-esteem, or motivation issues, it is not uncommon for clients in therapy to struggle to find traction toward happiness or contentment. These clients will ultimately feel lost and sometimes hopeless in their efforts to […]
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Children in therapy often have a hard time healthily expressing their emotions. Emotions can be overwhelming for kids, and their ability to express what they are feeling depends on different factors. It is not uncommon for a child in therapy to struggle with understanding, identifying, and expressing their emotions. In such cases, a visual aid […]
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There are several reasons why a person in therapy may struggle to express their feelings. Many grow up learning that they need to silence or suppress their uncomfortable feelings, which can affect the way they relate to their emotional needs. People can also struggle to understand how they feel when they suffer from mood disorders, […]
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It is important for children to feel empowered and confident in themselves. Confidence helps a child feel proud, motivates them to learn and engage with others, and helps them build social skills and resilience that will be useful in the real world. Unfortunately, many children find it difficult to identify the positive traits that make […]
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